For Those of You Who Don’t Know Me:

I am a computer science student currently completing my undergraduate specialist degree in Computer Science (Software Engineering) at the University of Toronto (St.George Campus).

I have developed an interest in computers since I was very young –  my father is a computer technician, which is why I was exposed to computers at a very early age.  In high school, I took both computer science and computer engineering courses.  Although the work was relatively simple, it didn’t take long for me to realize the true appeal of computer science: the sense of accomplishment that I get when I see my very own program up and running — even if it does take days to figure out what needs to be done to make it run!

Although I am specializing in software engineering, I also have strong interests in user experience (UX) design and human-computer interaction (HCI).  I love all aspects of software development; from designing the internal software infrastructure to ensuring that every bit works as intended.  But I also spend a lot of time thinking of ways to enhance the user’s experience with the software in order to make it as user-friendly as possible.

In the summer of 2008, I was selected to become a participant in the Google Summer of Code program.  I spent 4-months developing for the Cytoscape open source project — a bioinformatics software platform used for network visualizations.  And as of May 2009, I have been working full-time at the IBM Toronto Lab as a User-Centered Design Specialist.  These were both valuable experiences that has allowed me to further strengthen my technical and interpersonal skills.

I am also an ambassador for the Department of Computer Science (DCS).  As a DCS ambassador, I help out at university and department events.  I’ve also visited high schools in the past to speak to students about computer science, and what computer science at the University of Toronto is like.

In addition to volunteering, I also enjoy swimming, arts and crafts, playing the piano, and doing (moksha) yoga.  Oh, and I’m also an amateur photographer. :)